Components
Ulibarri ParkI engaged in the effort to name the unnamed pocket park at 100 S. Bryant Street "Ulibarri Park" after Fred and Elaine Ulibarri, Valverde activists who utilized this park as a place for community building. I created and distributed a survey for public support, as well as canvassed the community. In total, I engaged with over 100 community members
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Mobility TourAligning with the goal of creating wealth and health in Valverde, I collaborated with fellow Student Scholar Libby Gardner to create a draft of a mobility tour. This tour highlights various points of historical and contemporary interest in the Valverde neighborhood with the objective of calling neighbors into the construction of Valverde's future.
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Community BuildingTo build on and continue to develop the strong sense of community in the Valverde neighborhood, I assisted in facilitating a partnership between the Valverde Movement Project and the Valverde Neighborhood Association. This partnership has resulted in the creation of multiple community events and programs, including the Valverde Movement Fest.
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Critical Reflection
During my experience with the Valverde Movement Project, I learned about the importance of reflection, action, and connection within community development. As someone who sees themselves as action-oriented, reflection was an area that I had often overlooked. Valverde Movement Project helped me realize that reflection keeps work grounded and provides the opportunity for continued improvement. Furthermore, especially in a collaborative setting, it allows room for others to speak up about their own experiences, increasing feelings of inclusiveness and acceptance. There were many instances in the Valverde Movement Project where time spent reflecting on past initiatives raised new and unique ideas about the future. In fact, this is how the idea for the Valverde Mobility Tour was sparked.
Connecting and acting were areas that I felt more comfortable with going into the Valverde Movement Project, but in light of my growth in reflection, I see them very differently. Action and connection are not isolated activities. By spending time reflecting as a group in the Valverde Movement Project, our connection and actions were more meaningful. When I door-knocked in the Valverde neighborhood to raise awareness about the Ulibarri Park naming initiative, for example, my actions and connections were greatly influenced by the planning and reflecting that our team had done together in preparation. In this way, the unity of reflecting, acting, and connecting feel very clear to me.
In the future, I will take the experiences I have had with the Valverde Movement Project and the development of the Mobility Tour with me as I strive to become a more inclusive leader. This will include a renewed effort to involve community stakeholders in every aspect of the initiative, taking time to reflect and reevaluate, and truly leaning into the synergetic qualities of teamwork through action, connection, and reflection.
Connecting and acting were areas that I felt more comfortable with going into the Valverde Movement Project, but in light of my growth in reflection, I see them very differently. Action and connection are not isolated activities. By spending time reflecting as a group in the Valverde Movement Project, our connection and actions were more meaningful. When I door-knocked in the Valverde neighborhood to raise awareness about the Ulibarri Park naming initiative, for example, my actions and connections were greatly influenced by the planning and reflecting that our team had done together in preparation. In this way, the unity of reflecting, acting, and connecting feel very clear to me.
In the future, I will take the experiences I have had with the Valverde Movement Project and the development of the Mobility Tour with me as I strive to become a more inclusive leader. This will include a renewed effort to involve community stakeholders in every aspect of the initiative, taking time to reflect and reevaluate, and truly leaning into the synergetic qualities of teamwork through action, connection, and reflection.
Partners and Mentors
Jessica Villena-Sanchez
Elizabeth Walsh
Evon Lopez
Libby Gardner
Valverde Neighborhood Association
Elizabeth Walsh
Evon Lopez
Libby Gardner
Valverde Neighborhood Association